The present invention relates to hand held self defense apparatus, and more specifically folding knives which can be used as a self defense mechanism for pinching or striking a blow as well as a cutting instrument.
Self defense mechanisms and more specifically handheld folding knives have been used for decades as self protection devices and for a multitude of other purposes. These devices are commonly used by police, prison guards and the military for self protection and to thwart an attack by an assailant. Additionally, these devices are useful to assist car accident victims who are trapped in seat belts, and in a variety of other applications where a sharp blade is useful in combination with a hand-held tool capable of shattering glass.
Other types of tools have previously been made to serve similar purposes. For example, brass knuckles were invented to deliver a striking blow to a body part. Handheld glass breaking tools have been used to assist firemen and policemen to break windows and assist car accident victims trapped in vehicles. Finally, there are an endless number of batons and self restraint devices such as handcuffs which may be used by the police to restrain or temporarily disable a prisoner or assailant.
Unfortunately, carrying all of these numerous types of knives, batons, self restraint devices and tools is extremely cumbersome and not practical. Furthermore, in a combat situation it is not feasible to attempt to locate or use a variety of different tools at the same time.
Thus, it would be extremely beneficial to have a combined handheld tool knife which could be used by the police, military personnel and citizens alike which could perform a multitude of functions as a self defense and emergency tool. These functions would include a pointed metallic xe2x80x9chumpxe2x80x9d on the blade which could be used for delivering a blow or to provide a pinch point. Additionally, other portions of the tool handle and blade would be designed to provide a pinch point, deliver a blow or to shatter glass. Finally, the apparatus would have a blade which could be opened quickly with one hand by drawing a portion of the knife blade across an object or a portion of an assailant""s body.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a self defense tool which performs a multitude of functions in one handheld device. Thus, the tool can be used to deliver a striking blow, break glass, provide pinch points for disabling an opponent and provide a sharp cutting instrument if necessary.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a knife blade opening device which can be selectively opened by dragging a pointed hump portion of the blade across an opponents body or other object to facilitate opening. Thus, the knife blade can be opened without requiring the use of a second hand, finger or thumb.
Additionally, it is an object of the invention to provide a self defense tool which can be used to perform a multitude of different functions without significantly changing the hand position on the tool. Thus, by slightly rotating or repositioning the tool in the user""s hand the tool may be used for a variety of different self defense purposes such as pinching, striking a blow or using a sharpened blade in a cutting motion. These changes in position can be achieved quickly and efficiently with one hand while allowing the other had to be free for other purposes. Thus, in one aspect of the present invention a folding knife self defense tool is provided which comprises:
a folding knife with a kinetic opening knife blade which is adapted for positionally opening on an object or the body of an opponent, comprising:
a handle having a front end, a rear end and a cavity positioned therebetween;
a knife blade rotatably interconnected to said front end of said handle, said knife blade having a front end, a heel end, a cutting edge and an upper edge, said upper edge having a substantially pointed thumb extension extending therefrom, wherein when a lateral force is applied to said pointed thumb extension in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said knife blade and in a direction opposite said rear end of said knife handle, said knife blade opens to a first extended position of use, wherein said knife blade is substantially an extension of said knife handle; and
a blade locking mechanism interconnected to said knife handle and in operable engagement with said heel end of said knife blade, wherein said blade can be reversibly locked in said first extended position of use.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a training knife which includes all of the functional attributes described above, but is safe to use for training and educational purposes. Thus, in one aspect of the present invention a knife blade is provided which does not have any type of sharpened cutting edge, and thus is substantially incapable of cutting or injuring a user or participant in a training exercise.